The difficulty in selling a chemical to aid subsea pipeline flow has been delivering it to the wells.
通过加注化学品以帮助海底管道流动，其困难在于将化学品输送至油井。
November 1, 2021
2021年11月1日
图1 测试池中的一个水下化学药剂输送箱
LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc. (LSPI) said it can increase the flow capacity of subsea flowlines from wells to platforms by up to 35%. Based on the company’s long history in that business, that sounds doable.
LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc. (LSPI)表示，该技术可以将海底管线从井到平台的流动能力提高35%。基于该公司在该行业的悠久历史，这听起来是可行的。
The hard part is convincing users that it can dependably deliver the chemical to the offshore wells where it is needed.
困难的部分是让用户相信它可以可靠地将化学物质输送到需要的海上油井。
The delivery barrier has made subsea production lines one of the few oil pipeline markets not served by LSPI, whose history dates to 1979 when it began selling an additive, a drag-reducing agent (DRA), that dramatically increased pipeline flows.
LSPI的历史可以追溯到1979年，当时该公司开始销售一种添加剂，一种减阻剂(DRA)，该添加剂显著增加了管道流量。
The polymer was invented by scientists at what was then Conoco, in the early 1970s. Among the inventors was Yung Lee, who is still with the company which is now owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
这种聚合物是由当时的康菲石油公司(Conoco)的科学家在20世纪70年代早期发明的。其中一位发明者是Yung Lee，他现在仍在Berkshire Hathaway公司工作。
The chemical able to increase oil flows by 80% proved popular, and its use spread around the world. Now, the maker of a product used in 80% of US oil pipelines is looking for new markets. Lines running from offshore wells to platforms look like an attractive growth market, as oil companies focus on finding oil near existing platforms where the risks and costs are low.
事实证明，这种能使石油流量增加80%的化学物质很受欢迎，它的使用遍及世界各地。现在，这家美国80%输油管道都使用的产品的制造商正在寻找新的市场。从海上油井到平台的管线看起来是一个有吸引力的增长市场，因为石油公司专注于在风险和成本低的现有平台附近寻找石油。
“It is going to be substantial. It is not huge like pipelines. Still, more and more people are going to discover oil-bearing formations away from platforms,” said Lee, engineering and technical services director for LSPI.
“这将是实质性的。它不像管道那么大。尽管如此，越来越多的人还是会在远离平台的地方发现含油地层。”
The short explanation for how LSPI’s DRA works is that the long molecular chains of the ultrahigh-weight polymer in a pipeline reduce turbulence. That allows more oil to flow through a pipe and reduces the pressure needed to do so.
对于LSPI的DRA是如何工作的简单解释是，管道中超高质量聚合物的长分子链减少了紊流。这使得更多的石油通过管道流动，并降低了这样做所需的压力。
There are offshore markets for DRA, where it is used in large lines delivering oil to shore and in multiphase lines connecting platforms.
这里是DRA的海上市场，它被用于向海岸输送石油的大型管线和连接平台的多相管线。
Pipelines from subsea wells to platforms are not on the list because LSPI has been unable to find a way to deliver DRA to those remote locations.
从海底油井到平台的管道不在清单上，因为LSPI一直无法找到将DRA交付到这些偏远地区的方法。
The obvious way to do so would seem to be to pump the relatively small amount of chemical needed each day through an umbilical. For more than 15 years, LSPI tried to develop a DRA molecule that would flow dependably through the narrow tube in an umbilical.
最明显的方法似乎是每天通过脐带泵入相对少量的化学物质。在超过15年的时间里，LSPI试图开发一种DRA分子，它可以可靠地流过脐带的狭窄管。
The problem was “DRAs contain solid particles [polymer] that will coat the internal wall and eventually plug the umbilical,” according to a recent Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) paper describing the prolonged search (OTC 31054).
海上技术会议(OTC)最近发表的一篇论文描述了长时间的搜索(OTC 31054)，该论文指出，问题是“DRAs含有固体颗粒(聚合物)，会覆盖内壁，最终堵塞海管。”
That problem created an opportunity for Safe Marine Transfer, which was looking for customers needing an alternative delivery method, said Art Schroeder, CEO of the Houston company.
休斯顿公司的首席执行官Art Schroeder说，这个问题为安全海运运输公司创造了机会，该公司正在寻找需要替代运输方式的客户。
图2 德克萨斯州的凯蒂市，一个化学输送单元被举起，然后被放入测试池中
Three years ago, at the OTC, LSPI met the founders of Safe Marine, who convinced them to consider delivering DRA in a box.
三年前，在海上技术会议上, LSPI会见了Safe Marine的创始人，他们说服他们考虑用盒子运送DRA。
The box intentionally looks like a cargo container. Its dimensions—40×8×8.5 ft—make it possible to load the box on a truck and move it to a dock on its way offshore.
这个盒子看起来像一个货物集装箱，其大小为40×8×8.5英尺，可以通过放置在卡车上,把它转移到另一个海上码头。
Inside is a large, tough bladder designed to hold 200 bbl of fluid. The container allows water to enter, equalizing the pressure so the frame can stand up to extreme deepwater pressure.
箱子内是一个大且坚固，可容纳200桶液体。容器允许水进入，平衡压力，所以框架可以承受极端的深水压力。
The system is equipped with a remote monitoring and control system, plus the hardware needed to connect it to a pipeline access point.
该系统配备了远程监控系统，以及将其连接到管道接入点所需的硬件。
The third partner in the group is Subsea 7, which will provide the vessels and deepwater delivery and intervention expertise.
该集团的第三个合作伙伴是Subsea 7，该公司将提供船舶、深水交付和干预技术。
Earlier this summer, they successfully tested the subsea container in a 40-ft-deep test pool in Katy, Texas. Schroeder said it passed those tests and regulators have been satisfied so far. What they need to do now is convince a potential customer to test their chemical storage in the ocean, and for that they are reaching out to a variety of chemical suppliers.
今年夏天早些时候，他们在德克萨斯州凯蒂市一个40英尺深的测试池中成功测试了海底集装箱。施罗德表示，公司通过了这些测试，到目前为止，监管机构也感到满意。他们现在需要做的是说服一个潜在的客户测试他们在海洋中的化学品储存，为此他们正在接触各种化学品供应商。
This would not be the first time chemicals have been delivered this way. The method has been used for jobs such as well interventions, where a single delivery is required. But operations managers are wary about depending on regular deliveries to maintain production.
这不是第一次用这种方式运送化学品。该方法已应用于需要单次交付的修井作业中。但运营经理对依赖定期发货来维持生产持谨慎态度。
Based on LSPI modeling, DRA formulated for multiphase lines in frigid conditions could increase the capacity of a 6-in., 15-mile-long line from 10,000 B/D to 13,000 B/D. If the injections stopped, the capacity would revert to 10,000 B/D.
基于LSPI模型，为严寒条件下多相线制定的DRA可以提高6英寸多相线的容量。从1万桶/天到1.3万桶/天，15英里长的管线。如果停止注入，产能将恢复到1万桶/天。
In that example, Lee estimated that 2.6 B/D of the DRA would be needed. At that rate, the 200-bbl storage unit would need to be replaced every 76 days. LSPI is working on stretching that limit, possibly by employing multiple units at a time.
在上述例子中，Lee估计需要2.6桶/天的DRA。按照这个速度，200桶的存储单元需要每76天更换一次。LSPI正在努力扩展这个限制，可能一次使用多个单元。
An on-site electric power supply is required for the pumps and control system.
泵和控制系统需要现场供电。
Regular subsea deliveries would not be cheap, but they would end when the production dips to the pipeline capacity.
常规的海底运输并不便宜，但当产量下降到管道能力时，就会停止。
The DRA has been effective at increasing the oil flow in lines where gas and water are also present. But as water levels go up, its effectiveness goes down. When the water cut exceeds 50%, the DRA’s benefit is negligible, Lee said.
在天然气和水同时存在的管道中，DRA可以有效地增加油流。但随着水位的上升，它的效用就会下降。Lee说，当含水率超过50%时，DRA的效益就微不足道了。
The partners said they have met some interested potential customers. When they talk to flow-assurance engineers, Lee said, they “get really excited” about DRA.
合作伙伴表示，他们已经见到了一些感兴趣的潜在客户。Lee说，当他们与流量保证工程师交谈时，他们对DRA“非常兴奋”。
But Schroeder said they also need support from someone in operations. They are seeking someone who does not assume the actual cost will be twice that quoted, and the benefits half as high.
但Schroeder说，他们还需要行动人员的支持。他们寻找的人不会认为实际成本是报价的两倍，而收益是报价的一半。
总结：随着陆上油气资源的枯竭，海洋油气资源逐步成为石油行业中的重要领域。海上作业空间有限，并且放置过多化学药品存在着安全隐患，因此，如何安全有效地将化学药品运送到海上油井也是一个不容忽视的问题。通过水下化学药品输送箱，可以安全高效地将药品传送到对应油井，并且不占用平台空间，为海洋油气开采提供了有力帮助。
学术部 硕2020级5班 汪策
网宣部 硕2020级5班 王硕
